Petroleum Works at Poverty Bay.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 973, 27 August 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

Petroleum Works at Poverty Bay.

(From the Auckland Evening Star.) On Wednesday, 13th July, the steamer Rosina landed at the Awanui, (Waiapu) the boiler and other machinery, for the purpose of boring for oil on the Rotokautuku Block (which W. Clark, Esq., leased from the Natives, as is now formed into a Company, called “ The Southern Cross Petroleum Company”.) It is a distance from the landing place of about 11 miles. The contractors for making the buildings and fixing the boiler and machinery, and also taking the same from the landing place on to the ground, are Messrs. Campbell and Parsons. From the 13th ult. up to the 17th ult., the weather was very bad, and nothing could be done. However, on the 18th the weather moderated, and the contractors made a start to put the boiler on to the bullock dray. The Natives were at a loss to know how three single white men should move —let alone get it on to the dray, as it was rather a large sized boiler, about 15 feet long, and somewhere about three tons weight. However, from the commencement of cutting the boiler on the dray and the bullocks taking it away, the time was about 1 hour and 45 minutes. On the removal of the boiler by the bullocks, the Natives gave a good hearty cheer. As it was getting dark, the contractors made a halt, and commenced early the next morning. The road was up a narrow creek just wide enough to allow the dray to pass. There had arrived a short time after the start was made, a great many Natives, besides a few Europeans, to see the boiler go up the first hill, which was short but very steep —from 35 to 40 yards long. After getting up about 6 or 8 yards the off-wheel got bogged right up to the stock, so after trying some time with the bullocks, it could not be moved, besides breaking two bullock chains. So they got two good strong ropes and fastened them to the wheels, and the Natives began to pull on the ropes, and between them and the bullocks the boiler was got to the top of the rise, and in going down the other side, when about half way down, they got bogged again, and worse this time, for the wheels sank into the mud to the upperside of the stocks of both wheels, and again the Natives started to pull on both ropes. One fastened to each wheel, between them and the bullocks they managed to move it a few yards, and then had to give it up as it was getting late. Next morning, the 20th ult., they took the boiler off the dray and rolled it over fhe bog down to the creek, and then put it on the dray and started again ; went on all right up the creek, as far as the road went, until it turned out of the creek ; then they had to rise the hill again—this time for about 140 yards. They managed to get a little way, but got bogged again, and then they had to take it off the dray, aud, by the help of Natives and ropes, they rolled it over and over again until they got it to the top of the hill, and frotn there to the place where it is fixed, they got bogged several times afterwards. The time it took the contractors to take the boiler from the land-ing-place to where it is fixed, was about fourteen days. What surprised me most was, however, that they got there at all at this time of the year, when the land is so sodden with water from rain. I doubt if the sum which they got from the Southern Cross Petroleum Company for taking the boiler from the landing place to where it is fixed, will half pay them. I never saw three or four Europeans in all my life stick to it as they did; many would have thrown the job up and cleared until the dry season, and I think the least the Southern Cross Petroleum Company can do for the contractors is to recoup them for all the extra expense they have been put to, as it was not their fault that delay occurred in arrival of the boiler.